OOC: I set up the topic, so no worries you don't have to do it. You can choose whether I play your Shadow or you do, it's fine if you want to play or if you want me to play, I don't have no problem with either. ^^ Also did I mention, you remind me a lot of Chie from Persona 4. If you've ever heard of or played the game before you'll know who I'm talking about. I partially got this idea from there anyway. Though I adapted it to its own setting with my mind. But, yeah have fun, sorry for the length of this message.

Often times, the evidence of a troubled mind is in the inability to function properly throughout everyday life. The individuals suffering would slowly atrophy because their own souls are battling them and winning. They are defeating their minds, overpowering them quite easily and snapping them as if they were twigs. Well, you must have the strength to face others in life; Quintessentially, everyone must learn this lesson. But, what some do not know is that there is a time when one will have to face oneself and that takes even more courage....

Everyone has things they hide. Everyone has hidden thoughts and feelings. Everyone has secrets. Part of what makes life and our interaction with one another as human beings so interesting is the urge, the yearning, the want, the need to know what the other is thinking. What the other is feeling; and more importantly, what the other is hiding. We as human beings always yearn for the truth, be it hidden or not, we always wish to know something, a secret, a knowledge, a thing that is not something personal to us. We love to know gossip for whenever a conversation flares out. But, mostly, it is the suppression of the being with a secret that keeps us from ever being COMPLETELY honest with each other. What if that were to change?

"Hey Mero, mind if I ask why we're training here anyway? I mean I thought the other place was good enough but you suggested we come here, any particular reason?"

It looked to be a completely empty field with tall grass swaying in the gentle winds that blew by. It was quite calm and relaxing. No life, nothing was in the area; and it seemed there never would be anything here. It was like this were a place, a secret place, on Earth that no one knew about, but, then again, things on Earth were not like this. We had gone through the portal once more to this alternate dimension, one that seemed to have a peaceful setting.

'Since when did Mero have abilities like this? I would expect her shadow to be like this only because well, she is a shadow and shadows are supposed to be your inner thoughts, so says this one. Inner thoughts have power, she says Mero's jealous of Bryant and me and thus her jealousy and the denying of her as a part of her must have fueled something within her to make her transform and power up and gain all of these powers, but, it wouldn't make sense for the original to have magic, would it? Unless, I missed something here, she does look like she's straining a bit. If things get bad, I'll jump in, but, right now... I have to analyze the situation.... okay so so far she is only using the darkness element, I would think that shadows would be of the darkness element since they are the darkest parts of someone.... well, I'll just have to wait till this battle goes on...'

I sat from a tree branch I had found comfortable to sit on and analyzed the movement of battle, the attacks, the form, both Mero's, everything. But, I was careful not to think too hard. Thinking too much is a clouded mind and that is sure to lead to defeat. I knew Mero could defeat her if she really tried; to be honest, she didn't even seem that strong to begin with, but it also seemed like she was hiding things.... in which case, I might need to instruct Mero how to beat her. But, for that, I'd need a strategy and a way to communicate with Mero without the shadow hearing my every thought conveyed to her. For now, sitting puzzled on the tree branch, I watched intensely as the battle went on. The Shadow Mero now conjuring up several darkness balls and firing them at Mero, dodging the one she charged and threw back at her. She smirked and then let out an evil cackle.

I had drawn out my blade and was cutting through the attacks as if they were nothing. I tasked and flew forward swinging my blade upwards, hopefully catching the shadow me across the chest. I didn't stick around to see if I had hit her, I jumped around her and stabbed her back.

OOC: I've always had these abilities I just need use them.. and they aren't really strong. But I have used them before.

OOC: Okay fine with me, I guess. Just so long as you limit and proportion them reasonably.

The shadow was able to dodge both adequately. After all, she did have the same set of skills that Mero had and maybe even more. But, with Mero's abilities, this was all news to me. I didn't know she had this kind of power to her, however new it was. But, what really struck me, was the amount of precision and control she had over them though relatively new. I thought that, for a new fighter with any sort of supernatural ability, this was something else.

But, nonetheless the shadow, realizing how fast Mero really was, began to pick up her speed and travel faster, dodging the strikes that Mero attempted to hit her with and meanwhile, conjuring her own power to throw at her in small balls of darkness. It seemed as of right now they were at equal strength, but, who, ultimately would be stronger?

"Hehehe, this is fun. Wanna show me what else your pathetic ass can do without having Utena jump in?"

She was taunting her, I could tell. But, why would she do that if she were at equal terms with her? She must be hiding something, was my only thought. But, still, all of this puzzled me.

I had given up on any magic attack, it defiantly wast my strongest. I sliced through all her attacks using my sword and smirked at her. She had to be hiding something, even I knew I was in trouble if she had this ultimate secret power. I wasn't to worried and if I died, well there was always another me to replace me.

I charged forward, dodging any attacks,and moved around her so I ended up standing beside the shadow Mero, holding my sword to her throat. "That's quiet annoying, would you please stop throwing those things?" I smiled wickedly at her. "And Utena won't jump in", I reassured.

I needed to continue analyzing this battle. I would have to find a way around beating Shadow Mero, it seems she had the upper hand in all of this. She did have this secret power within her, it was ultimate, absolute and great. But, my curiosity lies with why she didn't use it from the very beginning if she had it. For one thing, if you are angry at someone and you want extinguish them from their own place here on Earth, I would think you'd use all of your power to do so. But, this was a very puzzling battle indeed. The Shadow Mero seemed to be cornered as the sword Mero possessed was held to her neck/throat quite threateningly. Was Mero winning?

"Oh please Mero. You think you're going to be able to defeat me this way..... I'm so weak, I need princey over there and Bryant to come save me. You can't do anything yourself but still, you're delusional enough to try that and actually believe it. If you believe it, then it will happen. What a crock of bullshit! I don't buy it one bit. And another thing I don't buy is the fact that you have this idea created in your mind you're some great fighter than will win this battle at all costs. You denied me Mero, that was YOUR choice and it was a very stupid choice because now you must fight me! You must own up to your private thoughts and feelings, admit them, accept them. DO IT. If you're so keen on destroying me, then do it! I'd like to see you try."

Shadow Mero shouted whilst she moved her hand swiftly to grab one of the pistils she had on her and proceeded to shoot Mero. There's no way she could miss because of the proximity of Mero to her. It was then that I witnessed a bullet fly through Mero on one end and out the other; the bullet had gone through her body.

'Mero..... no....'

As much as I tried to fight it, tears kept trying to find ways to gather in my eyes. I felt a stinging sensation in them and a pang of sorrow play in my heart like the saddest song ever created. I wouldn't be able to take it if Mero died while fighting this battle. I didn't want to have to come to her rescue again. I didn't want to have to fight her shadow, this was her battle and I knew she could win it.

"Don't worry, if you die here, I'll make sure to replace your miserable life and fuck up anything you hold dear to you. Don't worry that bullet, it was a special kind of bullet. This is just to start things off, see. That was a spirit bullet. It only shoots through your spiritual essences, more like chi or magic and if it gets you.... well, you should feel really limp right now, like your body is sloppy and not in your control. You should feel not so emotional, more leaning towards the apathetic side. But, don't worry you still have emotions and you can still feel them, in however little quantities that bullet would allow for. This gun does come in handy, especially when you're facing someone who annoys the crap out of you!"

So far, all Shadow Mero was doing was throwing balls of power that seemed to be comprised of just darkness within them. So she did know Darkness, as an element of choice, and the opposite of that is light. I know white magic, that could be useful. But, then, the shadow did something I would have never expected. I couldn't make sense of it till I took a look at her form....

Suddenly, from all the plants in the immediate area, little white balls of power began to surge to her hands, which she was holding in a wide, open and inviting position. She was calling forth an attack. I thought, 'What right does she have to do this to the poor living things on this planet?' And then I realized, usually magic does take away from the things here on Earth, I was a contradiction myself. But, that was besides the point.... how could she draw life like that? ..... She's an angel. I noticed the two wings on her back, one light, one dark, and remembered that angels do have that sort of power. This was a spirit attack, she was drawing power from the living things here. But, what would she plan to do with them?

"You will die where you stand Mero. Get ready for one of my all time greatest attacks....!"'In this state....She continued in her thoughts. This battle was sure turning out to be something else. All the while I needed to keep thinking and analyzing. I needed to find a weakness for Mero to exploit, since I'm sure she had her hands full. I needed to find a way to beat her ultimately and get rid of her once and for all, I think I was on the track of getting this answer. And I also needed to, at times, conduct Mero on what to do, if ever stuck; I had telepathy, but, how could I get my thoughts to her without the shadow reading them. They were one in the same! Confused and bewildered, I sat atop the tree branch and continued to watch and think, there was nothing more for me to do but guess at this situation.

I stepped back a bit, in a sloppy motion. My shadow had shot me. I'd be impressed with the shot, if it wasn't for the great pain I felt. I grunt but continued to stand strong. I watched as she gather energy from the nature around her, and listened as she droned on about me dying at her hands.

I decided to waste no time. Ignoring the pain from my close to deadly wound I moved forward. I took hold of the shadow Mero's shoulders,tightly. I could feel my energy slipping away from me as I held her. I used one of my hands to pull a gun from its hilt. In a swift motion I had the gun under her chin pointing upwards and pulled its trigger.

The Shadow then was shot with the little bits of energy Mero was using in her body to fight her obvious wound and push herself to fight. This was amazing, my eyes, they just couldn't look away. The Shadow was shot, the white wing dimmed a bit in luminosity and the Shadow cringed and cried out, a bit, in pain. Way to go Mero!

"Oh you little bitch! That really hurt..."

I noticed Mero smirk, her eyes growing thin and weary because of the wound on her body. This sure was an interesting fight! But, Mero looked bad and the Shadow didn't look too bad, especially after a bullet when through her as well. This was so strange. I'm guessing she was preparing to use an ultimate attack but, something I never expected her to do was to ascend higher in the air, dropping Mero to the ground like a sack of meaningless bricks. She smirked and then cackled with an evil undertone to it, like she was powering up, like she was showing the ace up her sleeve. She was. And the worst I feared, happened.

"Get ready to meet your demise! I call this one the Spirit's Skewer and it's a perfect move for you to meet your end!" DIE... DIE.... DIE....!!!!"

Mero was barely standing, holding her arm in an injured position, looking directly at the attack. I saw her eyes, she was perfectly prepared to take this head on and that would result in her death, I couldn't let her lose here. I couldn't let her die here. The Shadow Mero proceeded to throw the spirit attack and then bring out both guns and shoot them at Mero mercilessly with much animosity. She was cackling with delight of her assumed victory.

"DIE DIE DIE where you stand Mero Imaimashi! I am the real one of us and you know it! Now... let that stuff you keep away from those dear friends be the death of you! Let this be burned into your mind and soul as you part from your body. DIE."

I was convinced she was crazy. But, then again, I found my body moving on its own, my eyes filling with water. I rushed to step in front of Mero and place my arms out before her, standing over her. The spirit attack hit me straight in the back as well as a number of bullets, spiritual and normal variety. I was bleeding and feeling rather weak. I stood there though, holding my pose until everything was over. I looked at Mero...

I looked up at Utena in pure horror. "Ute-..." I paused. "Why the hell did you do that? That wasn't very bright." I pointed out to her, tears daring to make their presence known. "You should have stayed back, this was my battle. Everything the shadow me was saying was true. I hate the fact that I need you and Bryant to step in for me. I always get you guys in more trouble then you need because of it. This time is no different. I never mind taking my mistakes and facing them head on, even when I know I may die."

I stood up and pain ran through my body. I shook it off and moved closer to Utena, making sure she was still alive after the attack. I put her arm around my shoulder and made her walk over to a tree. I sat her down under it. "Utena, thank you, but please never do that for me again. Just please don't close your eyes and see if you can use any of the energy you have left to heal your major wounds." I got up and limply walked back over to the shadow.

"Are you satisfied with that!? You've hurt my friend... you've hurt your friend". I glared at her and picked my sword off the ground. I pointed it at her then waited for her next attack.

"I knew this was your battle Mero, but, even so, I couldn't let you die. I mean, I know it sounds stupid that I should die in your place or you in mine, but, I guess I'm just that dumb. I care for you Mero.... so much... I wasn't going to let you die here... and what.... what she fired at you would've killed you and then this battle would never truly end.... then she would not stop ruining the good life you've had up till now.... she wouldn't stop tormenting Bryant and me every chance she got... I'm sorry... call me a fool.... tell me n-never to interfere ever again.... I won't listen.... when things get as serious as they were just now... I'm going to jump in and s-save you...."

I smiled weakly as she helped me over the the tree where I sat and cringed at the amount of pain I was going through. It was true, I wasn't very bright, but, I was very caring. I concentrated on trying to make the pain go away, tapping into my reserves of magic to heal myself of the monstrous wounds contracted from the attack alone, the one that just hit me. I spared Mero that was good. But, then I smiled, there was something I could do. Suddenly my body was engulfed in a white light, indicative that I was healing myself, but, before Mero could point the sword at the shadow, whom seemed significantly weaker now, I tossed my own sword on the ground to Mero.

"T-take it Mero... use it to defeat the Shadow... t-trust me on this one..."

I put a thumbs up towards her before allowing myself to sink into silence and heal myself. Hopefully she would win this battle, though I couldn't concentrate on it anymore. I thought I had done good.

"My, my, my, what a brave move on princey's part over there. Man, are you lucky she spared you, otherwise you'd be dead. What's this? You've got a little fight left in you, I see... hm, well that won't do... we'll just have to finish you off then..."

The shadow had to be cocky. Just because I couldn't see doesn't mean I couldn't hear or sense. She was bluffing this the whole time. She had no will to fight, Mero had said the words she was looking for, but, not directly to her that means she had to keep fighting with even the little power she had. That cost her most of her magical reserve. I smiled softly, sensing that she was basically out of power. If Mero could use my sword then she'd win. It was called the Sword of Dios and it glowed while in her hands. It showed it would obey her no matter what.

I picked up the sword and smiled to myself. It was a good looking blade and I could feel the balance that it held. I moved it through the air and my smile grew wider. I then looked at the shadow. "It'll be nice to get rid of you". I charged forward and lunged the blade towards her chest.

"Oh, foolish child you think so! You think this is the end! Well you're sadly mistaken."

The shadow smirked and then tried to summon her magic. Nothing happened, her reserves were completely empty. She had to give herself more time to recover from the major attack she wasted on me. Second, she tried to move, she couldn't move. None of her was moving, almost as if she were frozen. Well that was almost the case. She looked down at her feet and found magical steel sealed chains that bound her to the ground by the ankles, harshly. She couldn't escape no matter what she tried. Mero continued to dash, somehow noticing she was gaining more strength and health along the way she was dashing. It was almost as if she'd never been hurt, just a little disoriented. The Sword of Dios, or the God's Sword, bestowed upon me, obeyed Mero and stuck itself into the shadow Mero's chest. This, did not cause her to bleed. It did not kill her, instead, a light flashed and she reverted back to the form that looked exactly like Mero. She felt to her knees, the sword sticking out of her chest and her head down in defeat. The shadow had been defeated and now it was time for this thing to finally be over, the acceptance...

"Never did I think you, of all people, that you could find a way to beat me. But, alas you have. You're really somethin' Mero, you know that?"

She smiled and cringed a bit but looked up into Mero's eyes.

"Heh, you've certainly got a special friend there. What I wouldn't give to have someone like that in my life....."

A pause and the sun was back to shining in the sky dimly.

"I've come to accept you as a part of me Mero, you're my conscience, the original me, I am just your hidden thoughts as I've said. Now I know why you didn't want to accept me before..... you love your friends with every fiber of your being and every beat of your heart and you would give anything to give back to them what they've given to and done for you. I understand that now... you and I are of two different spectrums. I am in your head, your hidden thoughts, your darkest secrets.... but, in no way do I have any correlation with that of your heart... and that... .that is the thing that has slain me... So Mero Imaimashi," She cleared her throat."Me.... how about it?"

Another smile and she extended her hand towards Mero, awaiting her response.

I took her hand and nodded. "I accept you as well, in every way. Truth is I had accepted you from the beginning... I just wanted to see if I was strong enough to beat you. Turns out though, I still had help from a friend". I laughed sheepishly and smiled.

At this point, I was just too weak to continue staying conscious. I kept the healing going, since my heart's wish was to heal and my magic was linked to my heart directly, it would continue to heal me slowly, as I closed my eyes and drifted into an unconscious sleep.

The shadow smiled and then stood up, facing Mero. She continued to smile softly as she tightened her grip slightly around Mero's hand and proceeded to shake it. After one shake and a nod of her head, a white light began to encase her, all of her wounds began to heal only in the slightest, though still visible. Shadow Mero seemed then to evaporate into the air and dissolve into Mero herself; a light flowing into her and encasing her with warmth. The battle was over.

When it was silent once more and the sun began to shine its brightest once again, my last thoughts before I passed out sounded in Mero's mind.

I had heard Utena's voice in my head and looked over to her once the shadow was gone. "Shit Utena!" I ran over to her only to find her past out. I was injured pretty bad, and unsure how much longer I could stand but I needed to get Utena somewhere to heal properly. I looked around knowing we were in no short distance to any hospital. I sighed and thought a moment, I could carry her until I could go no more, but my eyes began to droop and I felt myself slipping into the black.

My eyes began to slowly open, my body being fully healed from its last battering in the battle with the shadow. I remember seeing Mero and her shadow coming into one entity before I passed out. But, now the sun was shining. I was still laying against the same tree, its leaves reaching out in front of me enough to provide shade for me. My healing powers automatically cut off the moment I woke up and I smiled to see that Mero was okay, just unconscious.

"Took a lot out of you, huh Me?"

I knew she wouldn't respond but I said it anyway. I gently took my sword back, placing it in its sheath. Making it to my feet, I picked up Mero in my arms and made my way to town to look for a hospital. Sitting here with her injuries would do us no good. I continued to walk, almost to town from the spot were originally supposed to train in. I'm so glad Mero won.

Eventually I'd made it to the nearest hospital in town I could find and checked in with her immediately. Though it wasn't an ER case, they still attended to my request of a room and service. I'd told them that I would stay with her in chance that she might wake up again soon. They only nodded to all of my demands, I was certain it was fine.

"So how long will it be before she wakes up again?"

"See that's the thing. We don't know exactly, but, we do know that nothing is too wrong with her. She'll live, she's in stable condition, she was too when you first got her here. But, one of her wounds says otherwise, how were you able to stabilize her before you got here? Are you medically trained?"

"Not exactly. I hope you believe me when I tell you, I'm a witch. I used my magic to heal her to a certain extent, at least for stability till I made it here. I'm glad to see that she's not in vital condition. But, if you don't mind doc, I'm gonna stay here with her till she wakes."

"Of course not. Take all the time you need. I understand this Mero is your friend and you would do anything in the world for her. She's one lucky girl. As for your powers and their healing capabilities, remarkable, I must say. Well, I have to get back to the patient in 4E now, so maybe I'll catch ya later."

The doctor left swiftly. She exited out of the open doorway and headed down the hall to where the elevator was located and pushed the button, waiting for it to arrive on her level to take her to desired location. I, on the other hand, stayed beside Mero's bed and awaited her conscious awakening. I hoped it wouldn't be too long till she was healthy and 100% once again. I smiled softly, taking her hand in mine and thinking to myself....

"Don't worry about it. I'm so glad you're alright and very much alive. To tell you the truth, I didn't know if my healing powers would cut it. I mean, yes they can be quite a feat but, they do have limitations as I am not a god."

"Well I took the blow for you and then you helped me over to the resting point under and against the neck of the tree. I watched the rest of the fight while trying to get my healing going. You were going to use a sword that you had previously when I decided to lend you mine, Sword of Dios. You never can go wrong with it. It was my will that you use it, so, it obeyed you."

I smiled, placing a hand lightly on the hilt of my sword.

"But it is not the might of the sword and its capabilities that won the battle but the commander and master that wields it yes? I have to tell you Mero, you were tossed around like a rag doll up against your Shadow like that. But, somehow you managed to pull through and defeat her. And I think, for someone who always has to rely on us for the magic in her life, that was pretty damn awesome!"